Slain teacher's family to face accused for first time

Lois Dear

Two months ago today, Tokoroa teacher Lois Dear was found murdered in her classroom.

On Tuesday her family will for the first time face the man accused of her killing, Whetu Te Hiko.

The 23-year-old is due in Tokoroa District Court for a depositions hearing and Ms Dear's son, Kevin McNeil, said he and some family members would attend.

"I'm not looking forward to it, but I won't be nervous in any way," he said. "He's the one who should be nervous."

Te Hiko has made no plea to charges that he bashed Ms Dear to death in her Strathmore School classroom.

The depositions hearing is expected to be over quickly, with evidence for a trial handed up to the court in written form.

Mr McNeil said the family had seen the evidence and it was horrific.

"There's stuff coming out that the country will need to know about and the family would like them to know about."

Two months on, he said he could not stop thinking about his 66-year-old mother's terrible end.

"It just does not leave your mind. When you're not thinking about work or not thinking about anything, it's just back in your mind."

His children, particularly his 5-year-old daughter, were suffering.

"She's always asking, 'When's Nana coming back?' That's the saddest part."

Ms Dear had planned to retire to Coromandel to be closer to her children and grandchildren.

"That's been taken away from her now," Mr McNeil said. "I'm angry."

Ms Dear's daughter, Jan Armstrong, will not attend the depositions hearing, but her brother, Harley Dear, said he and his wife would be in court.

"The first time [Te Hiko appeared] it was just a bit too close. Now it's two months on and we're emotionally prepared."

"Not a couple of hours" went by that he did not think of his sister, he said, although the shock and horror were diminishing.

"Now we're able to slot in all the nice memories and all the accolades we've heard."

Strathmore School reeled from the loss of the passionate and much-loved teacher.

Principal Murray Kendrick declined to comment about how staff and students were coping now, but a spokeswoman said: "We are trying to move on and re-establish our routines".

An anonymous donor gave $5500 to the school to establish a scholarship in Mrs Dear's name. Each year the school plans to help a former Strathmore student at Tokoroa High or Forest View High with their tertiary education.

A website has been set up to honour Ms Dear and tributes continue to flow. This week her cousin, Judy Macdonald, wrote: "I think not of how she died, but only of how she lived, and that was obviously to the full."